Bits and Pieces
by Hearts.Pocky
Summary: PENGUIN REVOLUTION A collection of oneshots dealing with various PR pairings. Cowrites with Charlotte Russo. Story 3: Ryo was just an underwear-clad dork, but he still managed to catch the eye of a photographer.
1. Much Ado About Something

**Title: **Bits and Pieces**  
One-shot title: **Much Ado About Something  
**Author: **Charlotte Russo, Hearts.Pocky  
**Pairing(s)**: Ayaori/Yukari**  
Canon: **AU**  
Pages: **2 pages; 753 words  
**Notes: ** Third-person. Hearts.Pocky here. Hmm, this one not fluffy enough?  
**Disclaimer:** Penguin Revolution and all characters are copyrighted to Tsukaba Sakura.

When Ayaori first fell in love with her, he thought she was a man.

He was walking down the street, away from another stressful day at the Peacock Talent Agency. It was hard being a lowly Crow in a business that ran so heavily on popularity, but it sure beat being a Penguin, the lowest rank at the agency. One experience that he, luckily, never had to go through.

He was absorbed in a new script. He went through his lines, over and over, musing. _What a strange take on this story… I don't know how I'm supposed to portray this character… so far it's going well, though so I guess I won't have to worry… I should probably be a Number soon…_

Lost in thought, he didn't notice the other person walking right toward him, also absorbed in a good story. A collision sent Much Ado About Nothing and "Hero and Claudio" went flying into the air.

"I'm sorry," Ayaori muttered hastily, searching for his script (and his glasses.) "I'm really sorry, sir."

"Er… no problem." Ayaori found his glasses and clumsily placed them over his eyes. "…But, I'm a girl." She laughed embarrassedly and twirled one of her pigtails. "I take it you can't see without your glasses?"

"Yeah. The men's jacket threw me off, too." The girl helplessly plucked at her too-big jacket.

"It's my Dad's. I couldn't find my own." She shrugged and laughed again.

"I'm Makoto Ayaori." He said finally, cursing himself for forgetting his manners.

"I know." She replied. _She knows who I am? _Ayaori thought, shocked. _Finally, someone _cute _knows me._

"Your script has all of your information on it." _Oh. _In his disappointment, the boy almost missed her name."…Fujimaru Yukari. So, you act?" Ayaori slowly got to his feet and picked up his script.

"Yeah. And… sorry about all this." He said, once again.

"It's _fine!_" She assured him. She attempted to get up but, to her disdain, found that she couldn't. "I think I hurt my ankle, though. Stupid me!" Ayaori picked up her book for her and held out his hand. She hesitantly took it and he helped her rise to her feet.

"I'll walk you home…" He offered.

"No, it's fine! My ankle doesn't hurt that bad." Yukari exclaimed. "I don't want to make you go out of your way…"

"Where do you live?"

"Just over there." She vaguely motioned behind her.

"That's where I'm going."

"Really?" It wasn't. Ayaori nodded anyway. "Thanks!" He took her hand in his, and the pair began to walk.

They idly talked about nothing, just enjoying one another's company. The closer they got to her house, the slower they walked.

"So," she said, breaking the long yet comfortable silence. "Why did you decide to become an actor? It's such an unpredictable career."

"One minute you're at the top of the world, the next you're on a 'Where are they now?' special." Ayaori agreed. He shrugged and answered the question. "I love the feeling of getting lost in a role, a character, a new place." After realizing what he had said, he added: "Does that make me sound crazy?"

"No!" Yukari replied. "Not at all. It's the whole reason why I read so much."

"So, what do you want to do with your life?"

"I want to be a photographer." The girl got a dreamy look on her face. "I could do anything from family portraits to layouts for high-fashion magazines. Reliable, safe, but adventurous." A beat. She continued, "And, maybe, I'll eventually settle down and have a family."

"Me, too." Ayaori agreed.

Finally, unfortunately, they reached her house. "Thanks for walking me here." She murmured.

"My pleasure." Their faces got closer together, and for a moment they just looked into each other's eyes. Just when Ayori thought something would happen, Yukari turned on her heels, walked inside, and shut her door.

Ayaori felt an odd emptiness inside him, and he had to bear it through the long walk home. He couldn't stop thinking about her: her teal eyes, her readiness to laugh, and her open smile.

"Where were you?" His roommate asked once Ayaori got to their apartment, at 11:00-- three hours late.

"Nowhere." He replied, ready to go to his room and get some sleep.

"Hey, by the way… some girl named Yukari called. She wants to see you again, whatever that means."


	2. My First Love

**Title: **Bits and Pieces  
**One-shot title: **My First Love  
**Author: **Charlotte Russo, Hearts.Pocky  
**Pairing(s): **Yuzuru/ Ako **  
Canon: **AU-ish  
**Pages: **2; 547  
**Notes: **Hearts.Pocky, here! First off, sorry that the first chapter got uploaded twice. I don't know if that's my mistake or FFN's. Secondly, I like this fic much better than the last one. What do you think? By the way, any KH fans, there's a Kingdom Hearts prompt forum that I made with FFN author Chiisarin. Link in my profile.  
Advertising aside, enjoy the romantic-y goodness!!  
**Disclaimer: **Penguin Revolution © Sakura Tsukuba, CMX, HAKUSENSHA, INC.

_--  
Ako_  
--

I'm so happy I'm going back to Japan. After six years in the United States and traveling the world, I feel like I'm finally back where I belong. Unfortunately, my plane has been delayed and I'm going to be late on my first day of shooting. It's a show called "Animal Alliance" and I of course have the lead female role. As always. I was way prettier than any of the other girls at the audition.

I want to see my family, my friends, and one other person. Someone who was very important to me…

_--  
__Yuzuru_  
--

I stare in envy at Yukata and Ryou. I wish I had had a manager who got me jobs so easily when I was a penguin. I will stop at nothing to get Yukata. I'm going over my lines over and over, killing time until that dumb "Animal Pink" arrives and we can finally get started. She'd better have a good excuse for being late, because I have a busy schedule. It's not that I don't want to be here. I just have lots of other commitments.

I don't think anything of the next person who walks through the door. I am too fixated on that boy.

_--  
Ako_  
--

"I'm sorry for being late! I hope shooting wasn't held up because of me!" I burst through the door, and quickly survey my surroundings. I don't know anyone here. Why would I, after all this time? Still, I wish I had my old pack of girlfriends to cheer me on: Charli, Lacy, Ariel, Ella, Laura…

I quickly head to hair and make up, and someone vaguely familiar catches my eye…

--  
_Yuzuru_  
--

Wait a minute. I know that girl. I don't know where, when, why or how… I know her face. I know her voice. I know her large…

Personality, too.

I sneak back into hair and make-up to find her. She's sitting at a table, touching up her lipstick. I stand behind her and pause for a moment. I don't know what to do. Finally, I put my hands on the table. It makes a loud noise, and she jumps.

_--  
Ako_  
--

For a few seconds, my heart is beating quickly in my chest. Once I calm down, I look up. It takes a moment for a name to come to me.

Narazaki.

Narazaki Yuzuru.

I'd recognize him anywhere. My first love. We were both heartbroken when I had decided to go to America to work, and he refused to come. We were young then. Twelve, thirteen maybe. He's grown. He has gotten very handsome.

--  
_Yuzuru_  
--

Ako Moriyama is her name. I remember her clearly from my youth. My first love. She hasn't changed at all.

"Ako…" I breathe.

"Yuzuru!" She squeaks. She jumps up and throws her arms around me. I stroke her hair and put my arms around her waist. I can feel her warmth, the softness of her…

Personality against my chest.

Perfection.

--  
_Ako  
--  
_

I missed hugging him. I missed his smell. I missed him.

Amazing.


	3. Underwear Clad Dork

**Title:**Bits and Pieces  
**One-shot title: **Underwear-Clad Dork  
**Author:**Charlotte Russo, Hearts.Pocky  
**Pairing(s):**Ryo/ Yukari**  
Canon:**AU  
**Pages: **2; 724 words  
**Notes: -  
**

**Disclaimer:**Penguin Revolution © Sakura Tsukuba, CMX, HAKUSENSHA, INC.

It was her first assignment shooting a celebrity and her first huge job. Nineteen-year-old Yukari couldn't wait to meet the man she would be photographing. She was stunned to find that Ryo Katsuragi was just as good looking in person as he was on film. Twenty-year-old Ryo was on the rise as the Peacock Talent Agency's top male model.

The situation, however, couldn't have been more awkward:

It was her first big gig, and it was his first time… modeling underwear.

Yukari sighed, playing with one of her pigtails. The harsh words her boss had spoken rung in her ears. _If you screw this up, you're fired._Meanwhile, Ryo was receiving a pep talk from Shacho.

"Now remember, Ryo… you wear those boxers! Those boxers don't wear _you!_"

"Uh. Yeah…" Shacho had the oddest ways for trying to inspire him.

"Um… I'm sorry but… are you almost ready?" Yukari called from the next room. She fidgeted with her camera, glancing over the set, made to look like a beach scene. Why someone would be running around on the beach in their underwear was a mystery to her, but she didn't question it. She was just the photographer, after all.

"Oh, right." Ryo said, stumbling out of the dressing (or, undressing in his case) room. He laid his eyes on the most beautiful young girl he had ever seen. She had a naïve quality to her, like someone who hadn't been in the business for very long. Caught up in his staring, he didn't notice the cables laying on the ground. Gracefully (read: clumsily) he fell to the floor, face first. Yukari gasped and, holding back a smile and giggle, rushed over to help him.

Great, Ryo inwardly groaned, now she probably thinks I'm just some big, dumb underwear-clad dork.

Yukari inwardly agreed wholeheartedly. However, she couldn't help but be charmed by his stunning, if not slightly embarrassed, smile.

"I'm Yukari." She said. "And I wish my camera had been on five seconds earlier!" Ryo blushed and laughed nervously.

"I'm, uh… Ryo." He paused. "Nice to be working with you."

"You, too. Now, when shall we get started?"

"Whenever you're ready." Yukari motioned for him to get up and go to the set. He did as he was told. Despite her formal training, she couldn't stop blushing at the sight of the slightly older man.

The photo session went on without another hitch. And although Ryo still clumsily stumbled back to the dressing room when it was all over, Yukari couldn't help but take a liking to him.

Yukari's photos had been a real hit. She could hardly take a step outside without seeing Ryo, whether it be on billboards or on the sides of buses. She knew it was silly--really she did, but she couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness whenever she saw the photos.

She thought she may be falling in love with the man she couldn't have. He was a model, an actor, and she was just a struggling photographer. And though her status had skyrocketed, there was still no way she could get close to him.

It must have been fate, for one day she checked the messages on her answering machine to find that her boss wanted her to take a second series of pictures with Ryo.

This time, she wasn't going to miss her chance.

The day of shooting, Ryo came right up to her and said he was glad to see her again. "I'm glad to see you too!" She said.  
He had no idea.

She loaded her equipment into her car at the end of the day, sighing. The session had went well--again-- but she couldn't shake herself of that crush.

Oh well.

Some things just weren't meant to be.

--

Six months later, everyone was taking _her _picture. The entire world had seemed to be abuzz with the news of Yukari Fujimaru and Ryo Katsuragi's newly-formed relationship. They would go out for a simple lunch date and hordes of paparazzi would swarm at their table. It was a simple fact-- the pictures proved it-- that the actor and the struggling photographer were perfect for each other.


End file.
